Just Love: God’S Plan in Both Testaments

By Dr. Kent Hodge

Just Love
God's love is revealed through his Message: the Logos. Whether in creation, our conscience, scripture or in the coming and life of Jesus Christ, this Message is the same. Through his Message, God reaches out to man to call him to repentance and to the gift of eternal life, by the shed blood of his Son. His love comes to us individually in the baptism of the Spirit in new birth, and eventually takes over our life as we share his gospel love with the church and with all others in missions.
This books looks at issues related to the love God and shows the continuity of God's love and character between the Old and New Testaments: One God, One Message!

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Dec 14, 2011
• ISBN: 9781468508970

Dr. Kent Hodge

Dr Kent Hodge is co-founder of Christian Faith Institute, Jos, Nigeria. Since 1986 he has worked in Africa with his wife Ruth and their team of ministers, other Christian leaders and supporters, who have helped sponsor and train over 9,000 pastors who oversee churches in almost 100 nations. Kent & Ruth have five children. Kent holds a Masters of Theology from the University of Wales and a Doctor of Ministry from Oral Roberts University.

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Contents

Preface

Introduction

The Character of God

Joshua’s Conquest of Canaan

God’s Love in the Law

The Teaching of Jesus

With thanks to Ruth Hodge, Phyllis Crowley, Terry Pearce and Peter Newland for help with the editing.

Scripture verses in this book are taken from various English translations and sometimes are paraphrased by the author into simple English. Please check your Bible for further reference.

Preface

Inheritance, Image, Mission

Sharing the word of God with the students of Christian Faith Institute in Jos, northern Nigeria, is a fulfilling experience. Every time we do so Jesus is present to change lives: the word of God isn’t about Jesus—Jesus is the word of God. Students enter the college excited, get challenged, struggle, sharpen each other, grow into new people, and go out rejoicing, spreading the gospel, planting churches, triumphing over persecution. God is transforming this part of the world through their lives.

They come from many backgrounds. In some classes I need a Hausa interpreter. Hausa is a Sahel trade language from the west coast of Africa to Sudan, used by millions of people, most of whom are Muslims. Most of these students are converts from Islam. Some are from important families; some were activists who were instrumental in murderous attacks against Christians. How Jesus sovereignly and miraculously turned each of their lives around shows us again and again this is his work and we are highly honoured to have a part in their training.

Other students flow into the college from Francophone nations. When I lecture in the French speaking department again I need an interpreter. Lecturers and assistant staff speak all the languages we need. The diverse cultures in the college demonstrate unique aspects of God’s glory and contribute to fellowship that enlarges us all. Their worship is expressive, spontaneous and comes from a depth of gratitude. It is a delight interacting with the students and staff, as our lives are moulded together in love.

The classes are an environment of concentrated learning. Students want to get to the bottom of things. Apart from facing death, Islamic converts face many direct challenges, including ridicule of their faith from people who turn over every stone in the scriptures looking for fault. Students want answers and questions are accepted as we attempt to deal with them thoroughly and honestly. A mere brush over won’t help. We need biblical answers, not just a denominational stance, or even a Christian Faith Institute stance: we must explore the full scripture as it is.

We see students grow from their initial entry in the college. Many of these are from grass roots regions and need to learn literacy skills. This starts with their own language, then English (most of our research books are in English), then computer and internet skills, Hebrew, Greek and Arabic (for missions). Their initial questions are usually about the normal challenges to the gospel they previously learned from Islam, or about how the scriptures apply to their cultures.

Then they take on more issues, wanting to know the ins and outs of how scripture applies to Christian teachings from the past or today. They want to know what is right and wrong and why, and to do this while walking in love with each other, keeping their hearts on the life in the gospel. When they progress to the degree department they research more global issues and learn how to respond to them. They go out of the college full of grace and truth, prepared for powerful and solid ministry.

Just Love grew out of our class discussions, while teaching and responding to student’s questions. The issues in it are global and we pray you also benefit from Just Love. The heart of the book is all Jesus has done for us. Our heart is to share this gospel with others.

There is continuity through the scriptures, from the Old to the New Testament. There is one Message: God’s love seen in creation, our conscience, in scripture and in his Son. The purpose of God is to share his love and fellowship through creation and redemption. What a wonderful opportunity we have to be part of his eternal love program.

We could summarise the message of both Testaments as Inheritance, Image and Mission. God brought Israel out of Egypt, not because they had done anything good, but to show his nature, and to give them an inheritance: to be his own people. He gave them the law, which was holy and just, to mould them into his image, so that they might show his praises to the nations. God’s design in calling Israel, was not because they were special in themselves, but because of his love for the world.

You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession, for the whole earth is mine. And you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation… Ex 19:4-6

But the people did not have the heart to follow the Lord is his love program. God knew this before creation, but took us through these stages to show us his way, to prove his good purpose so we would have faith. The law and the prophets pointed us to the coming of Christ, to create in us a new heart so that we might share together in the fellowship of God’s love.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may show the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Pet 2:9

In the New Testament we see the same love plan: Inheritance, Image, Mission. By the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, he calls us out of sin and the world, to an eternal inheritance in his Son. The position God has placed us in Christ is beyond anything we could imagine. This highlights his unfathomable love, especially since we were sinners.

But as the law, though it is good and reflected God’s love and nature, could not transform our heart, he gave his Spirit to convert us from within. His purpose is that by grace we overcome sin, the devil and the world, become settled in his wonderful love and fellowship in his church, and show his image to the world: so that the world might know that he sent his Son. He gives us his inheritance, this inheritance transforms us into his image, and his image is seen by the world. His image in us is his mission to the world. Through this, God’s people in Christ is the fulfilment of his eternal purpose.

Despite the persecution, the staff, students and graduates of the Bible College, and the pastors of the associated churches and mission centres, all have an unflinching love for Muslims and desire to see them share in our fellowship. God said he will give Jesus the nations. This includes the nations around the Sahel and in the Middle East.

Introduction

Just Love

The title of this book can be read two ways. It might be said that the Beatle’s song All you need is love has become the basis of more theology in our time than the Bible itself. God is said to be defined by love alone, meaning he will not judge and repentance is not necessary to our salvation in Christ. It is even taught by some Christians that all people will be saved. God is said to be just love, and has no other characteristics.

The scriptures say God is love. They also say God is holy and God is light. God’s love is defined by all his characteristics. All his qualities come together to show a love that is true and holy. God’s love is just. It does not sweep aside his integrity or hatred for sin and what sin does to people. His love for people means he will uphold justice at any price, even the price of sending his Son to die for our sin. So in scripture we have just love.

This book shares the scriptures to recapture the true character of God’s love in sending Jesus Christ, contrasting this with Humanism. It responds to questions about God’s love: not all have heard the gospel, the existence of evil, his election of his people to his church, Joshua’s conquest of Canaan, the alleged ruthlessness of the Law of Moses, and Christians who judge those who live contrary to God’s truth. The book discusses the role of love in pacifism and government, in the Law of Moses and the Sermon on the Mount.

The book aims to show continuity between the Old and New Testaments, meaning the God of both Testaments is the one and same God, with the same character of love. The book looks at the Law and the Prophets to show their fulfilment in Christ, helping us to have a clearer understanding of the one message of scripture: The Lord is our Shepherd, who in love came to lay down his life to transform our heart into his own image.

Finally, the book shows the conclusion to the coming and teachings of Jesus: to send us out with a love mission to the church and to the world through his message of resurrection. We particularly see this in regard to loving and reaching the Muslims.

The Character of God

Beloved, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:7-12

Apostle of Love

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:8

John was writing about true worship. He said the love of God has clear marks in the lives of those who truly worship him. John is sometimes called the apostle of love. He wrote, For God so loved the world that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) John also spoke extensively of the love of Jesus for his church.

A new commandment I give you, That you love one another as I have loved you. (John 13:34, 15:12)

John presents God’s love to us, not in a new-age/universalist vein, but in Jesus Christ. In John 3:16 he claims the world is perishing. He says whoever believes on Jesus Christ will not perish, but have eternal life. Even in John, the apostle of love, there is only one way not to perish: by believing through the Son of God.

When John wrote God is love, he was shepherding the church in respect to false ministers who claimed to be from God, but did not have God’s nature. He said we should look at the lives of these ministers, and our own lives, to see if God’s love is working and reflected. God’s love is a summary of the new life in the gospel. When we love God we also love his Son, and we love one another, and this love is seen in righteousness.

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ in born of God; and everyone that loves him that gives birth, also loves him that is born by him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous. 1 John 5:1-3

When we love the Father it follows we will love the Father’s Son. We cannot say we love God while calling him a liar, rejecting his gospel about his Son. But this love also extends to all God’s children. If we love the Father we also love one another. John claims this is part of true worship. Loving God’s children would include forgiving them, but also maintaining honesty in our relationships: walking in the light. (1 John 1:7) This is part of how John defines love.

This passage of John also tells us what the love of God is. It is not just a feeling. It is the keeping of his commandments. John says we know we love God’s family when we keep God’s commandments. This would be the same with our immediate family. If we love our family we will keep God’s commandments, for this is the best protection, care and leadership we can give to those we love. If we walk in a lie, we do not love others.

There is robustness to God’s love. It means that we follow the Lord, which in turn means we keep his commandments. If we do not keep his commandments we do not love him. If you love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15) When Jesus laid down his life he said, That the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father has given me commandment, even so I do. (John 14:31)

Keeping his commandments does not mean ticking boxes in a legalistic way. It comes from a heart that has been touched by the love of Christ and which seeks to follow the example Jesus gave to us. Keeping the commandments is not a condition we must meet for God to love us, but a result of his love: a result of receiving his faith and being born again.

By this we know God’s love, because he laid down his life for us: and we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 1 John 3:16

God’s love is selfless. It reaches out to others in a redemptive way, forgiving and restoring. God’s love is rugged: there is personal cost involved. This is seen in the cross of Christ and his sufferings. We do not celebrate receiving God’s love without also following his example. So John said if we have love we will share our goods with those in Christ. (1 John 3:17)

God’s love means a commitment to truth. This is the message… that God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5) If we are truly in God’s love we will walk in truth. A message of the love of God that is not united with truth is not from God. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. (3 John 4)

The purpose of God’s love coming to us is that we are transformed to keep his word, i.e. walk in and obey his truth. This is the true love of God. John said these things are